FULL THROTTLE! GE & EMD Locomotives Power 15,000 Ton Loaded Coal Train Over The Allegheny Mountains!

3/30/21:

Recently, I headed to Pennsylvania for a family vacation. Naturally, this included some time trackside in the Keystone State. While a longer video featuring all the action I caught is on the way, I thought I would upload this train separately (it will also be featured in the long video). This video features Norfolk Southern Loaded Coal Train #592 tackling the West Slope of the Alleghany Ridge in Cassandra, PA. For power, two GEVOs are on the head end, both in Notch 8, and on the rear, two rebuilt EMD SD70ACu helper locomotives, also with their throttles WIDE open. This was my first time seeing the SD70ACu engines in helper service, as the last time I visited this area NS was still using SD40Es. Hearing these engines giving it all they had to get this 100 car train up the hill, while still only making 10 miles per hour, was something special to see... so sit back, relax, and enjoy the sights and sounds of what it's like to witness a 15,000-ton train tackling the slopes of the Alleghenys!

Subdivision(s):
Norfolk Southern Pittsburgh Line

Location(s) In Order of Appearance:
Cassandra, PA

Thanks For Watching & Enjoy!

(c)2021 River Line Productions All Rights Reserved

[FrehleyFan]

I miss the SD40Es. They sounded so great when there were 4 of them

[am]

The torque figure for this video must be PHENOMENAL!

[paweszaduro]

Tractive Effort of these locomotives is really insane.. Brute Force

[ernestpassaro]

There's nothing like the sound of a big bore diesel all spooled up!

[ericcoffedgp]

WOW! They're giving it all they got, it sounds absolutely fantastic!

[damaliamarsi]

The train going uphill is getting 40 feet per gallon, the downhill helpers, 400 miles per gallon. Would be interesting to see the economics of energy recovery methods on both sides of the mountain.

[TheMetGuy]

Awesome catch! That’s one heavy coal train!

[railfan]

Oh my gosh that was probably the best SAAHC I've ever heard.

[cpeast]

Awesome catch! Thanks! Just like some of my videos! I love the sound of the engines working hard up the grade.

[TheNomadicRailfan]

Nice video! Definitely my favorite spot on the Pittsburgh Line in this area.

[jimnavins]

Great video and related information. Thanks!

[MrVideoman]

The PP&L trains with 3 Sd60I's and a 4 set of 40E's were equally impressive

[keonikaig]

WOW, great catch....slow as ya go...Thank you

[NorthCountryTrains]

Can't wait for the full video! Nice captioning and information on this one.

[milehighkit]

It was awesome! I'm gonna sign up for more good stuff like this 🙂

[adamwright]

I remember when I was a kid, staying at my grandparents house, the tracks were maybe 100 yards from her house and they would sound like a thundering tornado blasting down the tracks, i miss it.

[fxdx]

I liked the sound of the GE AC60 engines pulling uphill. Used to see them daily in the 90s. Guess UP didn’t like them, but nothing sounded as powerful.

[fakecumberland]

I like the SD70ACUs better than the SD40Es, but not as much as the SD80MACs.

[PTDOT]

Just to add my two cents, as some1 who lives along the Pittsburgh line, most coal drags are almost.always 130loads, anywhere from 16-18k tons, so yea heavy! Lol

[nathanu.]

I love sd70aces my favorite loco they just sound and look so mean.